A note from Michael Riley on his SP250 Daimler.

Photo of my SP250 Daimler as promised. Approx 2645 cars were built 1959-1964. The V8 2-1/2 litre engine was designed by Edward Turner based on his motorcycle engines; Daimler being owned by the BSA group at the time. The body is GRP (glass fibre). As the top speed is over 120 mph, quite a few police forces, including the Met used the Daimlers to catch ton-up motorcyclists!

My car was registered in July 1963 and I bought it in March 1970. It is a later C-spec model with some of the extras as standard. Since I bought it, it has acquired a hardtop, an overdrive and wire wheels. The registration of KXR 393 was issued in 1949 to my father when he bought his first new car, a 1-1/2 litre Riley saloon. At least two other KXR Rileys still survive. K and R were my mother’s and father’s initials respectively.

My Riley, the one that is out of order, is at least the 9th Riley our family has owned since 1919. Other than as customers, there is no connection with our family and the Riley family car business.

Kind Regards,
Michael Riley